


Facing Daemons

by ParadoxProphet



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood, F/M, Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 09:08:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16851232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParadoxProphet/pseuds/ParadoxProphet
Summary: Gladio knew he was the only one who could take them down, but that was easier said than done.





	Facing Daemons

**Author's Note:**

> So as some of you may know, tumblr's gone on a purge of sorts. I doubt I'll be affected, but I figure now is the time to start uploading things I never posted onto other sites that only exist there. So I'm starting with this. This was done for a Halloween themed month, but I wasn't sure about uploading it here at first. But I want to post it now just in case. Everything else will be uploaded soon, I'll probably be uploading them in one collection since they're short.
> 
> Now enjoy the angst and suffering.

The sound of steel echoed through the night as blood and sweat trickled on the ground. Gladio stuck his blade into the earth as he attempted to catch his breath. This was a fight he knew was going to be difficult, but one he took on nonetheless. He had to. He couldn’t ask Ignis to do it, and Noctis was still in the Crystal. He was the only person who could take these daemons on. Not that he wanted to consider them as daemons, but the Starscourge cared not for who it took. He got back up on his feet, staring back at the creatures as he took his sword out of the ground again. He wish he could try to predict their movements, but that was impossible now. The only thing he was sure of was that they would fight together. They always had after all.

Katia and Prompto had been like that ever since the young woman had joined them on their journey after all.

It had been foolish to believe they were immune to the Starscourge, but they’d taken solace in the idea. The kings companions turning into daemons had been a ridiculous idea after all. But fate had already proven to be cruel to them, and it did so once again. There hadn’t even been time to prepare. One moment the couple had been fine, and the next they’d been moaning in pain. Gladio had wished that they’d turned into proper daemons, at least that way he wouldn’t have to hesitate. But it seemed they shared the same fate as Ravus, their bodies half-covered in a black substance as they began losing themselves to the affliction. Their eyes had turned pitch black, and their skin a deathly pale. It was hard to tell if anything was left of their old selves anymore.

Gladio looked ahead at the monsters that used to be his comrades. The bodies of other hunters were scattered around the area. The two had run off when they were aflicted and it wasn’t long before reports of human-like daemons were coming in. Others had tried to take them down, but never returned. The King’s Shield knew what that meant, that Prompto and Katia were killing people. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be joining the casualties. But he knew he had to stop them.

The two looked back at him, they hadn’t spoken a word since Gladio had arrived. He wondered if they still could. Prompto raised his arm slowly, aiming his gun and ready to fire. Gladio couldn’t hesitate. He ran forward and swung his blade, hitting Prompto’s wrist and causing him to drop the gun. Unfortunately, this left him open to Katia’s lance as he felt it swipe against his chest. He fell backwards, forgetting that she’d become stronger now that she’d been turning into a daemon. Before he could get back on his feet, he felt a pressure being applied to his chest. Katia was pinning him down with her foot and preparing to strike again. Only this time she would no doubt go for the kill. He had to do something.

“Katia! Don’t do this!” he shouted, going only on the small hope that she might still be in there. “You have to fight this! You and Prompto! You’re stronger than this!” It was unlikely that she was still there, but he had to try. Though something seemed to work, as he wasn’t being attacked. But he didn’t expect what would happen next.

“Gladio…please…get out of here…” Katia managed to mutter. Gladio just looked up at her, noticing her body twitching in restraint. “Prom and I…barely holding back…don’t want to kill you… Can’t keep…control…much longer…”

“I’m not leaving you here,” Gladio said. “I can’t let you hurt anyone else, and I’ll be damned if I let someone else kill you two.”

“Leaving…somewhere we can’t hurt…anyone…while we still can…” Her lance droped to the ground with a clang as she slowly moved her foot off of him. “You can’t help us…so please…just go…begging you…”

Gladio stood up as Katia backed away. “We’re sorry…Gladio…we’re so sorry… Please forgive us…for the people…we killed…”

Before he had the chance to say anything, Katia ran off into the darkness, Prompto following her without hesitation. The former sharpshooter looked back at Gladio, and for a moment it looked as if he’d been crying. But before he could take a look, he was gone as well.

Gladio sunk to the ground, taking a moment to recover. He was still wounded, and there wasn’t any immediate danger. He looked down at the lance and gun that was left behind, the only proof either of them had been there. But when he went to grab them, he noticed their dog tags had been left there as well. They’d left them behind for him to take back. He picked up the belongings of his former friends, holding back the urge to cry as he returned to Hammerhead. Prompto and Katia were gone, another two losses since their journey had began. He didn’t even know how he’d tell Ignis and the others about this. With a heavy heart, Gladio hoped that Noctis would return soon. Hopefully then they could be free from their suffering.


End file.
